J, no doubt; it has been a real pleasant surprise! I can see why Ayre has its following, and is so well-reviewed; this unit is dead-black quiet...and not at all harsh, or strident. A very easy-to-listen-to pre-amp.
Not 100% sure, about the synergy with the Pass...and I actually have an opportunity, to trade the K-5xe MP; with a guy, who has an XP-10. But...his XP-10, is with a 100.5; and he wants to try the
Ayre...so what's that say about the synergy, lol.
Plus he's said...he thinks the XP-10, skews "warmer" than the 20. He said it as a positive; but with the class-A XA...I'm not sure, a little more "linear", if that's what the XP-20 is, isn't a better match (and what you guys have been pushing me toward, all along :blush

.
So...I guess I just need to get my head and heart straight: if I stay Pass, better save-up for a 20...because the 10 will seem like "second-best". Or...stay with the K-5xe MP Ayre, but match it with like a VX-5. Problem is a) I don't see one used, like anywhere. And b) with the Twenty upgrades, it's probably pushed the price out of my budget.
I think the AX-5 was ~$9500, and jumped to ~$12,5k for the Twenty; so if the VX-5 was ~$8k...I'm guessing a new Twenty version, is going to run ~$10k.
If anyone knows, where a VX-5 might be lurking...or a friendly dealer, who might have NOS; I'd love to look into it. Or I might just chuck it all, and get a damn IA...lol.